Raphael Beysang

Alsatian born Raphael Beysang, alongside Quebecois wife Emilie Hurtubise, are making some of the most exciting wines to come out of Beaujolais and it’s not by luck either.

As a child, Raph spent most of childhood in the vines surrounded by local lo-fi legends and worked in the vineyards of the legendary Meyer family in Nothalten and has barely left the volcanic region since. After years spent mastering his craft in Alsace, he left for the Auvergne to work with punk rock natural vigneron Vincent Marie of No Control. That’s where he met Emélie, who had been working alongside French natty wine powerhouses Patrick Bouju and Justine Loiseau. Seriously big CVs dripping with a melting pot of French natty wine maestros.

The duo now dedicate their time to 7 lush hectares of pure Gamay, Raphaël's favorite grape. The soils are rich in trademark Auvergne clay, limestone and golden stones (Pierres Dorées) which is famous in their pocket of Beaujolais and produce wines that are packed with wild sun-kissed fruit and a lovely balance of acidity. It’s here that the couple preach their zero chemistry approach, even supplementing traditional copper and sulfur treatments by infusing biodynamic herbal teas in the vinification process.

With a winery only born in 2017, they’ve ploughed the winery to the forefront of French Gamay dominance (oh – with the help of a horse, a donkey and a llama) and now have a reputation for being some of the most dedicated winemakers in Auvergne. Their vision is clear: craft lip-smacking expressions of Gamay that follow their core “zero-zero” vinification principle, from picking to packing – they even use bottles and labels that are made from recycled materials. These wines are as rare as they are delicious it only takes a few sips to understand why – which is why they’re bottled in larger format because they know that 750ml ain’t ever enough.